Brush holder for paint cans



Sept. 8, 1959 2,903,154

A. E. HENDERSHOT BRUSH HOLDER FOR PAINT CANS Filed April 4, 1957 H v i17 a -vk ,6 u!" um Mum l I l IIIIH Alfred fJiendershot Y mm HttcrneUnited States Patent C imusn HOLDER FOR PAINT CANS Alfred E. i-Iendei'shot, Akron, Ohio Application April 4, 1957, Serial No. 650,776

1 Claim. Cl. 220-90 This invention relates to a brush holder forattachment to paint cans.

One object of the present invention is to provide a simple, one-piececover for quick, firm attachment to the open end of the usual plug-inlid type of paint can, through which a paint brush may be received toobtain paint from the can, without spilling or splashing excess paint onthe rim of the can, said cover having improved means for supporting thebrush when it is not in use.

Another object of the invention is to provide a onepiece paint canattachment of the character described, for given standard can sizes,such as pints, quarts, or gallons, which is self-adjustingly extensibleto fit the rims of cans of one said standard can size, firmly to embracesaid rims within a substantial range of normal variations in diametersof the same.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a can attachment ofthe character described, having improved means on an inner peripheralportion thereof for scraping excess paint from the brush, by which saidexcess paint will drop directly into the can and will not collect on topof the attachment or run underneath of the same to collect on the canrim.

Another object of the invention is to provide a can attachment of thecharacter described, having a brush-supporting cross-bar which also maybe used for scraping excess paint from the brush, and wherein saidcross-bar Will not substantially restrict said self-adjustment of saidattachment to cans of varying diameters.

Other objects of the invention will be manifest from the following briefdescription, and the accompanying drawings.

Of the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a brush holder embodying the features ofthe invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical cross-section, partly broken away, takensubstantially on the line 2-2 of Figure 1, but illustrating the holderattached to the top of a paint can.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-section taken substantially onthe line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings generally, the numeral designates an annulusof channel-shaped cross-section, defining an annular web portion 11adapted to be received over the top edge portion 12 of the usual rim 13of a plugin lid type of paint can 14, and radially spaced inner andouter flanges 15 and 16, respectively, adapted to extend downwardly andembrace corresponding radially inner and outer top edge portions 17 and18 of said rim 13. The flanges 15 and 16 may be oppositely outwardlyflared with respect to the web portion 11, to be yieldingly engageablewith said edge portions 17 and 18 for firm attachment thereto, so thatthe holder cannot be accidentally dislodged from the can as byengagement of the same by the brush. The web portion 11 may bedownwardly inclined inwardly of the can to permit excess paint thereonto drip or run back into the can.

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Paint cans of given standard size, such as for gallons, quarts, orpints, are known to vary substantially in dimensions, due to variationsin thickness of the can materials, and variations in results produced bycan making equipment. The outside diameter of a gallon can, for example,may vary as much as one-eighth inch. Accordingly, although the annulusmay be of rigid or semirigid metal, the present invention contemplatesuse of an annulus 10 made of resilient or elastic material, such asmolded vinyl plastic, thereby to have suflicient body to beself-supporting, and yet also having suflicient elasticity to beextensible to firm conformity with can rims within the aforementionedrange of variations in standard dimensions.

At the juncture of web 11 and inner flange 15, there may be provided anintegral annular edge portion or lip 19, upon which the brush B may bewiped of exoms paint, which tends to drop directly into the paint canWithout either collecting on the web portion or finding its Way underthe same.

A cross-bar 20 may be integrally formed in the annulus, as shown andextend across the top of the opening defined in the holder by the innerflange 15, for scraping excess paint from the brush B and for supportingthe bristle portion of the brush when not in use. As the cross-bar 20 isof the same elastic material as the annulus, it will not substantiallyinterfere with the above-described self-adjusting feature of theannulus. The holder annulus is adapted to be formed or moldedinexpensively in large scale production.

In use of the holder 10, it is firmly applied to the top of an openpaint can by pressing the same over the can rim, against the inherentyielding resistance of material of the flanges 15 and 16.

Modification of the invention may be resorted to without departing fromthe spirit thereof, or the scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

A paint brush holder of resilient plastic material for attachment to apaint can having an annular top rim providing a top edge and concentricradially spaced inner and outer peripheral edge portions and defining anopening in the can, comprising a continuous annulus of elastic materialand of generally channel-shaped cross section defined by a top webportion and concentric radially spaced inner and outer thin, flexibleflanges extending in the same axial direction therefrom, said annulusbeing downwardly engageable over said rim of a can with said flangesembracing said radially extending inner and outer peripheral edgeportions of said can, the spacing of said flanges being such withrespect to said top rim as to be yieldably engageable with said innerand outer peripheral edge portions to be retained thereon by theinherent resiliency of the flanges, said annulus having an integralannular lip extending radially inwardly at the juncture of said top weband said inner flange and adapted to be used as a brush wiping edge, anda flat brush-supporting cross bar integrally formed with said lip andextending across the opening defined by said annulus, said cross bar andsaid annular lip lying in the same horizontal plane.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,696,240 Kircher Dec. 25, 1928 1,984,170 Archbold Dec. 11, 19342,268,241 Brueckel Dec. 30, 1941 2,275,305 Morgan Mar. 3, 1942 2,591,482Weltlich Apr. 1, 1952

